Just Over the Horizon
by Vopi
Summary: She is an archaeologist's daughter forced to live on the streets. He is a treasure hunter shouldering an impossible burden. Both of them are looking for the fabled "Triumph Forks." Although their motives and methods differ, they will need to work together if they are to have any chance of succeeding. AU Wind Waker.


How long had she been trapped on this island?

As the young woman gazed solemnly at the ocean waves kissing her bare feet, she couldn't remember when she had arrived. A few months ago? Maybe a year? Perhaps longer? Time held no meaning to her here and thus it felt pointless to try and recall. Not that it mattered. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to leave.

It's not that the island was desolate or deserted. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The island city bustled with activity no matter what time of day it was. When the sun ruled the sky, the island's ports were busy with boats coming in and out with their hauls of fish and other foreign treasures. Merchants manned their stalls, calling and beckoning to potential customers as they walked through the city's crowded streets. A large windmill stood like a pillar in the center of the city, the long blades circling in slow, rhythmic fashion like hands of a clock.

The city became a different place at night but no less busy. A shady ship floated around the island, basked in the cool glow of the moonlight, offering foreign products that could be found nowhere else. The city's elite gathered for nightly auctions to purchase illustrious trinkets to add to their vast hoards. The bars filled to the brim with drunken sailors spilling over both beer and exaggerated stories of their exploits on the high seas, their ships safely tucked into the port for the night like children in bed.

Although the city had much to offer, Zelda still sought to leave more than anything else. As she gazed at the gulls flying overhead, their cries echoing with the rushing of the waves on the shore, she brought her hand to her chest in longing. The wind grabbed her frazzled, dirty blonde hair and flicked it towards the ocean, tempting her with the vast and endless sea before her and the freedom it offered. Nearby islands, appearing as no more than specks in the distance, offered unknown adventures. She knew, except for a miracle from the goddesses, that she would have to be content with what she could see from her lonely perch by the waves.

She had learned long ago that this supposedly great city had little to offer her. What she sought could only be found somewhere beyond the horizon. For although she was familiar with the things that others enjoyed about Windfall Island, it was only through watching others from the shadows during her short periods of employment. Such luxuries required money and resources, of which she had none. Of course, she had tried to leave as well, but that too required money that she did not have. Even when the occasional ship captain offered alternative forms of payment, the price was often too steep or required something of hers that she was unwilling to surrender.

She took a few more steps into the water, the salty liquid flushing against her ankles, and gazed upon its surface. The face of the girl staring back at her had piercing cerulean eyes. Those eyes had once been full of dreams and optimism; now the water only reflected an empty gaze full of exhaustion and desperation. Her long, blonde hair fell in tattered strands around the back of her neck. What she wouldn't give for the ability to clean it up and put it in different arrangements like she did when she was a girl. Her cheeks had lost their color and her arms and shoulders were bony. When was the last time she enjoyed a hearty meal?

The thought caused her stomach to rumble, drawing her gaze to the dirty pink and white dress that she had probably worn for weeks. It had been given to her as a gift from a compassionate priest who had taken pity on her sorry state. The colors were already fading in the fabric and dirt made it difficult to imagine what it had looked like new. It amazed her how she once took a fresh bath and a fresh set of clothes for granted. Never again.

Zelda turned around and walked back onto the shore, making her way towards the general direction of town. Her bare feet pressed against the tiny pebbles in the shore. One careless step brushed her foot against a clump of brown seaweed, sending a cold shiver up her leg. She stepped over it, slipped on her tattered sandals, and made her way towards the town market.

She had already gone the last few days without food, so she knew she couldn't put off eating much longer. She was without a job for the time being, so she would have to acquire money the only way that was available to her: theft. It was a dangerous and risky way of living and she hated having to resort to it. But it was the only way she could secure a meal between inconsistent employments. She had tried begging when she had first been thrown into this lifestyle, but the income was too inconsistent to be sustainable.

She cycled through her mind the locations where she had seen the most success in the past. The bar was usually profitable when the sailors were too drunk to realize what she was doing, but that wouldn't be until much later tonight. It also carried the risk of bodily harm if one of the sailors was in a foul mood. She didn't have the patience to tolerate them slobbering over her, so she chose the safer option instead.

Her feet carried her to the town market, where the people were plentiful and the environment less volatile. All she had to do was find one unsuspecting person, snatch his or her satchel, and slip into the crowd before anyone noticed what she had done.

The sounds of people's voices reached a fever pitch as she arrived at the market. Merchants shouted at potential customers in attempts to lure them to their stalls. Potential buyers gathered in groups around those stalls while others gossiped in the streets. Bright striped canopies of various colors sheltered the merchants and their items from the sun, serving as the perch for several gulls that watched the crowd of people shuffle up and down the street. The smell of cooked meat wafted through the market place from one of the nearby stalls, causing Zelda to stop momentarily and appreciate it. Her stomach grumbled again, reminding her of why she was here. If she was successful, she might be able to enjoy it.

She made several passes by the various food vendors, seeing if she could bypass stealing money and obtain what she needed directly. She had been success with this in the past, but she couldn't do it too many times lest her face be recognized. The shopkeepers were always more vigilant than the general populace and she didn't want to risk getting caught. As she made her pass, she couldn't find any stall that offered an easy meal.

With her first option unavailable, the next best option was to steal from one of the many foreigners who visited these shops. They were less likely to recognize her and more likely to keep their valuables in a location where she could easily swipe them.

She set her sights on a young man who appeared to be haggling with a shopkeeper. His strange clothes marked him as a traveler of some sort; he wore a blue sleeveless shirt with a crawfish on the back, orange work pants, and boots. Even better, he appeared to be alone. If he were traveling with others, there was a greater chance she might be noticed by one of his companions.

Zelda observed him carefully while pretending to blend with the crowd. He appeared to be about her age, and good-looking at that. His shaggy dark brown hair flowed down behind his ears and just above his shoulders. His build had a wiry musculature to it, which contrasted with the burliness of most of the sailors in town. Even so, she could see the muscles clearly defined in his shoulders and arms. His skin was crisp and tan, probably from time spent at sea.

The man unfastened his satchel and pulled out a red rupee and showed it to the man running the stall. The shopkeeper crossed his arms and shook his head, causing the foreigner to sigh exasperatedly. He pulled out another rupee and tucked his wallet into his belt without tying it. Seeing this as good an opportunity as ever, Zelda moved towards the stall.

The young woman pretended to occupy herself by looking at some of the items on display. It appeared to be a potion shop of some sort. There were glasses and vials full of liquid of different colors. Some of the odors overpowered her nostrils. Zelda forced down a gag to prevent drawing attention to herself. Why would anyone want to visit such a dreadful shop?

Zelda glanced over at the foreigner and saw him still in a heated conversation with the shopkeeper. She slowly made her way closer to both men until she stood next to her target. As she got closer, she could smell the salty scent of the sea coming from his clothes, confirming her suspicion he was a sailor of some sort. She was also within earshot of their conversation.

"What do you mean you can't sell it to me?" the man asked.

"I told you…these types of things are not easy to make and I don't have any left. Do you expect me to make it on demand? Unless you want to get me ingredients…"

Neither man paid her any mind as she lost interest in their conversation. She once again glanced at her surroundings and confirmed a few tall bottles full of strange liquids would block the merchant from seeing her. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing a large crowd she could escape into.

"Excuse me," she mumbled, pretending to stumble into the traveler as her hand effortlessly swiped the satchel from his belt and stuffed it down her dress in the flash of an eye.

"What are you doing?" The man snarled, grabbing her fiercely by her other hand and spinning her around. Panic shot through her. Had he seen her?

The man looked at her intently. There was a quiet intensity in those stormy blue eyes. Yet, there was also something familiar about them that she couldn't quite place. The man began to say something else, but then decided against it. His grip gradually loosened.

"Do I have something stuck in my teeth?" she asked, her heart racing against her chest. If he noticed his satchel missing now, she would be arrested for sure. "I appreciate you catching me," she said. "Really I do. But you don't have to keep staring at me like that."

"Yes, you do," the man mumbled quickly. He released his grip and looked away. "It's really quite unsightly. Right between your front teeth. You may want to run along and get that cleaned up."

"Hoy! Are you going to buy something or just stand around flirting all day?" the shopkeeper yelled at the man, pulling his attention back towards the stall. The young woman took advantage of the momentary distraction and slipped away into the crowd unnoticed before the man even realized she was gone.

* * *

Her heart pounded against her chest as Zelda escaped the market and swung into an abandoned alleyway. She scurried behind a stack of crates nestled against a building. It would have to serve as a temporary hiding place until things settled down. She leaned her back against the side of the building and sat down on the ground to catch her breath. Whenever she heard nearby footfalls, she tensed up and remained silent, anticipating pursuers at any moment.

Those pursuers never came. Relieved to see she had made a clean escape, she retrieved the satchel and began to open it. She paused as she thought about the man she had stolen it from.

Something about the encounter unnerved her. For a second, she was positive that he had caught her. And those eyes…there were something hauntingly familiar about them. She was positive they had never met before, so why was she so troubled by that look he had given her?

She reached for her wrist and could feel the sting on her skin where his grip had been.

If he had realized what she was doing, why had he let her go? And why wasn't he looking for her now?

With those thoughts circulating in her mind, she gradually emptied the contents of the satchel. Her heart skipped a beat when several yellow and red rupees fell into her hand. She couldn't even remember the last time she had seen this much money! With a bit more luck, she might even have enough to afford passage off this island that served as her prison. She felt guilty for having taken the money instead of earned it, but what choice did she have? No job she had worked had ever paid her this much.

She scooped the rupees into a pile on the ground and reached further in to see what other contents she might find. Her hand pulled out an old crumpled pictograph and gently unfurled it. The picture was of two young kids on a beach. The first child was a boy with brown hair wearing a green cap and tunic. Judging by the expression, he didn't seem all that excited by his attire. Next to him was a younger girl with blonde hair, a long, blue skirt and a telescope in her hand. She was laughing at the boy's expression.

Zelda's heart stung. Were these two the man's children? They looked so happy.

Hadn't she been happy once?

Should she return the money to this man? What if his kids starved because of her actions?

Her stomach growled fiercely, knocking her out of her thoughts. She didn't have a choice, she told herself. If she was ever going to leave this place and find what she was looking for, she had to survive. That meant she needed to eat now. Besides, even if she went back looking for the man, she would certainly be arrested and live out the rest of her days in a jail cell.

It felt wrong to just throw away the pictograph so Zelda reverently folded it and placed it back in the satchel. She scooped up the rupees and placed them back in the satchel as well. She thought it best to wait a while before returning to the market to ensure things settled down. Even so, she couldn't contain her excitement over finally having enough to purchase a substantial meal.

And maybe…just maybe…with a bit more luck…a way off this island.

Her lips parted into a soft smile. For the first time in a long time, she felt hopeful.

The man cursed his own weakness as he walked out of the market and back to the port. Just as he suspected, the satchel around his waist was gone. He had foolishly left it unfastened to his belt and had paid the price. Worse, even when he had the chance to catch the thief in her tracks, he had let her go against better judgment.

That was a bad habit it of his: acting on instinct. Sometimes it came in handy, like when he was in a fight. But more often than not, it got him into trouble. He had tried in the past to change this fault of his but with little success. At this point, he simply accepted it as a part of himself.

* * *

Of course, that didn't stop the consequences of his actions from getting to him. The loss of his money wasn't what bothered him the most. Although the amount was significant, he could earn it back if some high paying jobs came his way.

What really gnawed at him was the loss of the pictograph he always kept on him. He would gladly have parted with his money if it meant keeping it. Without that picture, he lost a vital link to his past…and to _her._

The sight of his boat bobbing on the ocean waves didn't cheer him up as much as it normally did. It wasn't a very impressive vessel nor was it very large. In fact, most of the vessels in the port easily dwarfed it. The red paint on the hull was chipping off in places, and there were plenty of bird droppings on the roof of the boat's small one-room cabin. In fact, the bow of the ship was the only remarkable thing about it. The bow was carved into the shape of a lion's head, with a white wooden mane and two yellow horns protruding out of the top. It was for this adornment that he affectionately called it "The King of Red Lions."

While not an impressive vessel, it was still his. They had endured many hardships together out on the open seas, including weathering grueling storms, fighting off greedy pirates, and even battling monsters. It was on this boat that he had experienced much of the world and developed a love for the stars. He couldn't even count the number of times he'd laid out on the deck and gazed at the celestial sky. Feeling the wind against his cheeks, the slap of the waves against the hull, and the aroma of salt water in his nostrils while gazing at the night sky was one of the few pleasures he still allowed himself these days.

"Ah, Mr. Link, I see you have returned. Will you be departing our fair island?" one of the boat attendants greeted him as he approached the dock.

Link shook his head. "Not quite yet. I just forgot some things on board that I need to get."

"Very good, Mr. Link. Please enjoy your stay here on lovely Windfall Island," the attendant said before departing to check on other boats.

The boat dipped in the water as Link stepped aboard. He inspected the deck to ensure that everything was as he left it. Satisfied, he walked over to the cabin and turned the handle. To his relief, the handle didn't budge. He retrieved the key from around his neck, unlocked the latch, and stepped inside the cabin.

The interior of the cabin wasn't any more impressive than the exterior. The cramped cabin was only large enough to house a place to sleep, a small chest by the bed where he kept valuable items, a desk, and another chest where he kept his clothes and equipment. The bed itself was a wooden shelf built into the wall with a messy array of cushions and blankets. Nailed to the walls and scattered across the desk lay maps he had acquired in his travels. Many of them had notes and drawings he had scribbled himself, all in an attempt to find a place many thought didn't even exist.

Link walked over to the large chest housing his equipment and pulled out an emergency ration of rupees he kept. It wasn't a lot, maybe fifty rupees total, but he would have to make it last until he could secure more work. He pulled out a long cloak and put it on to protect from the rain he sensed was coming. If there was one thing the high seas had taught him, it was to never underestimate the weather. Lastly, he grabbed a sheathed knife and tucked it into his belt, hoping he wouldn't have to use it.

His errands complete, he walked out of his cabin and locked the door. As he stepped off his boat, he noticed the sail from an adjacent boat flapping in the wind more than normal. Curious, he looked to the horizon and noticed ominous clouds in the distance, confirming his suspicion. It would make his task more difficult, but he learned long ago not to worry about things outside of his control.

Tonight was going to be an interesting night. He could just sense it.

* * *

The bar was especially full tonight as Zelda sat at the table enjoying her first fresh beverage in two or three weeks. Past experiences had given her a strong distaste for alcohol, so a Chateau Romani was her drink of choice this evening. The smell of booze was particularly strong here, so strong in fact that the odor mixed with the flavor of her drink. Even so, it felt good to be a paying customer for a change instead of having to scavenge for her next meal. Her stomach was pleased as well, having consumed bread and fruit from some of the other stalls she had visited just as the market was closing.

As she sat by herself enjoying her drink, the sounds of the local patrons roared in her ears as they laughed and shared one fabricated tale after another of their exploits. Glasses clinked and swashed as heavyset men leaned on rickety wooden tables enjoying their beverages. Others played cards and various games of chance, some yelling when lady luck didn't favor them. The server, a woman a few years younger than Zelda, rushed from table to table in a desperate attempt to keep up with the patrons' high demand for booze.

Normally this was the type of environment that Zelda loathed. However, it was also her best chance of acquiring some of the remaining money she needed to get off this island. If she waited long enough, an opportunity would present itself.

"Hey there, long legs. Why you sitting there by y'urself?" a sailor stumbled over to her.

Zelda took a deep breath and powered through the swath of body odor and bad breath assaulting her nose. Someone had come quicker than she expected.

"Are you talking to me?" she asked innocently, intentionally keeping her gaze glued on her drink. The key to swindling this man was to make it seem like it was his idea to approach her and thus make him work for the chance to talk to her.

The heavyset sailor stumbled into the chair next to her. Judging by his struggle to pull himself onto the seat, she could tell he had already had several too many drinks. He would make an easy target.

"No'ne here but you and me," the sailor said. "C'rse I'm talkin' ta you." Zelda tensed as he leaned towards her. "So are ya' gonna answer my question?"

"I'm just sitting here enjoying my Chateau Romani," she replied, casually taking another small sip from her glass of milk. "And what brings you here?"

"I'm 'ere pretty often," the man said. "You could say I'm a reg'lar."

She finally gave him the courtesy of facing him. The man was a rather hairy, repulsive man with a five-oclock shadow, eyes that were red and glossy from his plentiful beer, and large, obscene tattoos on both biceps. "And I'm guessing by your appearance you're a sailor. You must see quite a lot on the high seas."

The man took the opportunity to flex one of his arms, causing Zelda a bit of discomfort as the odor from his armpit wafted towards her nose.

"Cours' I've seen a lot. I'm the bravest sailor on the high seas. Wanna hear how I got this scar on me brow?"

The man launched into a story about how he had fought off over a dozen pirates by himself. Zelda questioned the credibility of the account and couldn't find the scar he kept referring to but smiled politely nonetheless as he told his story. While the drunken sailor droned on and on, her sharp eyes searched him for any hint of where he kept his money.

At last, that information came when he offered to buy her drink. She grudgingly accepted, even though she had no intention of touching it. More importantly, she was able to see him pull a pouch full of rupees from his shirt. She cringed at the idea of having to touch the wallet as she saw quite a bit of hair sticking to the wallet. Still, she saw several high value rupees slip out as he paid the bartender before he stuffed it back into his shirt. Chest hair aside, at least she knew where his money was now. The hard part would be figuring out how to steal it.

She hadn't gotten very far thinking of a solution when a hooded figure entering the bar caught her eye. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but the height and figure of the person seemed similar to the man she had stolen from earlier. Wanting to be sure, she watched the stranger from over the sailor's shoulder. Until she could confirm that the stranger was someone else, she feigned interest in the sailor's story half-heartedly. The cloaked figure sat down a few chairs on the other side of the drunken sailor. Zelda shifted in her seat so she could better observe the stranger without the large man getting in the way.

The bartender strolled up to the stranger, polishing a glass in his hands while he asked for the man's order.

"Some medicine for your troubles?" the bartender asked jokingly, swirling the cloth on the inside of the glass.

The figure laughed to himself. "There's no medicine in the world strong enough for that." He reached into his cloak and slapped down a yellow rupee. "Give me whatever you'd make for your worst enemy."

Zelda tensed when she heard the figure speak. It definitely sounded like the man from earlier. Could it be?

The bartender gave the figure an odd look but swiped the rupee off the counter nonetheless. "One Kooloo-Limpah Special coming up."

Zelda's heart stopped when the figure pulled back the hood to reveal a man with brown-hair and blue eyes. Her suspicions were confirmed! It was the same man as before!

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Her mind raced frantically to figure out her options. Was it better to leave now before he spotted her? Or did she stay and finish conning the sailor next to her with the hopes of not being recognized? The man from the market hadn't noticed her yet, but that wouldn't last long. She had to decide quickly.

"Hey!" the drunken sailor yelled at her. "Are you listening ta me?"

"Of course," Zelda said automatically, heart pounding against her chest. She stole another glance over the sailor's shoulder. The man had just received his drink and took a large swig, his face grimacing as the alcohol burned his throat. He seemed to be paying them no mind.

The sailor finally saw through her half-hearted act. He glanced over his shoulder and spotted the hooded stranger. "That who you been staring at this whole time?" the man bellowed. He looked back at Zelda. "Such a scrawny fella! Why would you be interested in him? Guess I gotta' set you both straight!"

Before Zelda could offer a response, the man stood up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of her chair in the process. He pointed belligerently at the man from the market. "Do you know this girl?"

The foreigner glanced disinterestedly for a moment at the sailor before returning to his thoughts and his drink.

The drunken sailor stood there for several seconds waiting in vain for his challenge to be acknowledged. His face reddened like a tomato and his grip on Zelda tightened when he realized he was being ignored. He threw several chairs to the ground as he staggered towards the cloaked stranger. When he finally reached him, he grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out of his chair.

"Hey scrawny! I asked you a question! Do you know this girl?" the sailor demanded.

* * *

Link's ire rose when he felt the sailor's grimy hands on his collar. The man's breath smelled like raw meat dipped in spoiled milk. He had beer all over his clothes too. Link's first thought was to break the man's arms. He was getting ready to when the sailor suddenly let him go. Link only registered after the fact that a third person had been pleading with the sailor to let him go.

With two feet finally on the floor, it took all Link could do to restrain himself. Instead, he looked to see who this third person was. His eyes flashed when he recognized the thief from earlier that morning.

"Is this the girl you're talking about?" Link asked, turning his attention back to the sailor.

The sailor nodded.

"She's my sister. Why does it matter?" Link continued.

The sailor pulled Zelda closer to him and visibly relaxed. "She's just your sister?" He burst into a drunken laughter. He grabbed his beer and raised it in the air, as if giving a toast. Link felt no desire to return the gesture, especially as some of the liquid spilled out of the cup and onto his cloak. "I thought she had eyes for you. If she's just your sister, I got nothing to worry about," the sailor continued to laugh.

The woman was about to protest but Link shot her a dark glare. Her shoulders tensed but she said nothing. He turned his attention back to the sailor.

"And why would I give you cause for concern, my stupid friend?" Link asked, grabbing his drink and sipping it with a forced smile. With his free hand, he brushed the man's spilled alcohol off his cloak.

"Because she's mine for tonight, scrawny," the sailor said at last.

The woman's face turned pale and her lips tightened. Link saw her eyes target the door and her hands slowly move towards the sailor. She was planning on making a run for it! If she slipped out on him now, there was a chance he'd never find her again. He had to make a move first.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, my over-intoxicated friend," Link replied, his forced smile quickly disappearing. "You see…Father tasked me with keeping her safe from men like you." He set his drink down and stood face to face with the man. He was a good head shorter but looked straight into the man's eyes nonetheless. "I'll give you until the count of three to release her."

The woman froze. She glared daggers at him. "I never asked for your help."

Link waved her off. "We often receive things we don't ask for, Aryll. That's just how life is." He cracked his knuckles. "Now, what will it be? One…two…"

The sailor burst into laughter again at the idea of someone Link's size hurting him. He released his grip on the woman and rested his hands on his extensive stomach. With both men locked in their confrontation, the woman saw her chance and slipped away.

"Three!"

Link's fist came at the man like bottled lightning, crashing into the man's nose with a sick crack and cutting short his laugh. The flab on his cheeks recoiled from the impact as the man went sailing to the ground, taking a stool or two with him. His glass fell out of his hand and shattered to the ground, spreading his unfinished drink all over the floorboards. The bar fell silent.

Link cracked his knuckles again and examined his handiwork. The man's nose was bloody and broken. His breathing was slow and rhythmic from being knocked out cold. Link wiped his hand on the bar table to remove the blood and looked around for the thief from the market. She was nowhere to be found. Cursing his rotten luck, he glared at the spellbound patrons staring at him.

"Are there any other challengers? I could do this all night." Link said, his lips curling into a smirk.

"Hey! I don't tolerate fights in my bar!" the bartender shouted. "Take it outside!"

No one seemed to hear the bartender. The bar erupted into shouts as several of the other patrons stood up, eager to accept Link's challenge. The foreigner raised his fists and let out a deep breath. He didn't want tonight to be a complete waste. Since his target had escaped, he would have to make do with a little fun.

A hand flew at Link from the side, catching him off guard. Rather than punching him, it grabbed his wrist firmly and pulled him towards the exit. Before he knew it, a cold sheet of evening rain greeted his face with a wet kiss, replacing the pungent odor and shouts of drunken men from earlier.

He looked to see who had pulled him along. To his surprise, it was the woman from the market.

"What are you doing?" he asked, pulling away from her. Behind him, Link heard the moving of chairs and the shouting of men coming from the open bar door just up the stairs. It sounded like an army was after him.

The woman looked around anxiously, glancing between different alleyways.

"There he is! Grab him!" one of the men said, stumbling out of the door but tripping over his own feet. This caused a dam to build up as the other drunken men stumbled over him as well.

The woman grabbed Link by the wrist again and pulled him down a dirty, puddle-covered road.

"Where are you taking us?" he asked.

"Just shut up and follow me," she hissed.

The buildings of Windfall Island raced by in dark blurs as the two fled through the city streets. Their feet splashed through small puddles as the rain continued to beat down on them. Link lost all sense of direction as they made more lefts and rights than he could count. Without the moon or stars to navigate, he was completely lost and at this woman's mercy.

Whoever this woman was, it was clear she knew where she was going. He wasn't sure why she was helping him, but he wasn't going to complain either. As they raced through the labyrinth of city streets, the sounds of men's shouting gradually lessened until the steady pattering of rain drowned it out altogether. Even so, they kept running.

He had been right earlier; this night certainly was turning out to be interesting.

* * *

They eventually stopped in a side alley on the other side of town, well out of the way of the bar or any major streets. The rhythmic pattering of the rain filled the silence as both tried to catch their breath beneath the shelter of a small canopy. The beacon from the city lighthouse passed by overhead, temporarily scattering the alley's shadows with every pass and illuminating just how pathetic both of them looked.

"What in Din's name was that all about back there?" Zelda asked at last from her seat on a nearby crate. Her hand pushed back the hair that had fallen in front of her face as she looked at Link. He was standing nearby, leaning against a local wall while he caught his breath. "Were you really intent on fighting the entire bar?"

"I was intending to take them all on, but I guess we'll never really know if I can, right Gold Fingers?" Link said, still hunched over. A heavy cough forced it's way out of his mouth. He pressed his hand against the wall to stabilize himself.

Zelda looked away without responding.

"Now it's my turn to ask a question," Link continued. He looked across the street to where a rat scampered out of its hole. It dodged several puddles before finding shelter beneath a pile of lumber. "Why did you pull me out of there? No one asked you to."

Zelda stood up and folded her arms. "Well…I… " She looked to the ground as she fished for words. "What was it you told me earlier? We often receive things we don't ask for."

"You forgot the rest of it, Gold Fingers," Link replied. "The part about that's how life is."

"Is that my name now?" she placed her hands on her hips. "What the heck is wrong with you anyways?"

Link let out a sardonic laugh. "I don't even know where to start with that question. The list is pretty long." A violent cough cut short the rest of his response, forcing him to the ground.

Zelda took a step towards Link but then stopped herself. "Should I find you a doctor?" she asked. Her face grimaced as she thought about what the rain would do to his condition if they did have to find a doctor.

"Don't worry about me, Gold Fingers. I'm just out of shape," Link said with a smirk when the spell had passed. "I get coughing fits like this from time to time when I overexert myself. Nothing someone as healthy and well-nourished as you should have to worry about."

Zelda's face curled into a scowl. "Is that all you have to say to someone who risked their neck for you?" She stormed out of the canopy and into the rain, her sandals kicking water as she kept her back towards him. Although the rain was cold against her shoulders, she preferred the chilling sensation to this man's abominable company. "Why did I even come back and rescue you? I should've left you in the bar like any normal person would have! You would've deserved it for picking a fight!"

Link's smirk disappeared. "You're not innocent in this either, Gold Fingers. In fact, you're the one who started this whole thing. Remember? So we're even." His fingers curled into a fist. "The truth can really suck sometimes, can't it?"

Zelda's back straightened. She slowly turned around. "Is that what this is all about?"

Link grimaced as he slowly got back on his feet. "Not entirely. To be honest, I saved you out of instinct. I couldn't stand the thought of what that man wanted to do to you. Bad habit I guess."

Zelda's eyes narrowed as she turned around to face him again. "But there's more to it than that, isn't there?" Her hand subtly went to her pocket as she saw Link reach for his.

"There is the fact that you have some items of mine and I'd like them back. I'll take them by force if necessary." Link frowned when he couldn't find his knife. He was positive he had stored it in his cloak pocket.

"And how do you intend to do that if you're so out of shape?" Zelda held the knife in front of her. "Were you planning on using this?"

Link sighed to himself and took his hands out of his pockets. "You certainly don't keep your hands to yourself, do you?" He shrugged his shoulders as he joined her out in the rain. "I should start charging interest on everything I've loaned to you thus far."

Zelda didn't like how casual this man treated the situation. She was armed and he wasn't. Why wasn't he worried? What was he hiding?

Even so, this was the closest she had ever come to having enough money to leave this island. If she gave up now, she would be back in the pit of despair she had come from. That was one place she refused to go, no matter the cost.

"We're calling it a loan now? I thought it was a gift of goodwill," she said while eyeing the closest escape route.

On the other hand, she had no intention of fighting, especially when she had nothing to gain by it. Her only option was to escape quietly into the night. With her knowledge of the alleyways, it would be relatively easy to give this man the slip.

The foreigner laughed to himself, but there was no joy to it. In fact, Zelda recognized a tinge of sadness. "Sorry, I don't donate to charity much. I have too many debts to pay off."

"You and I both," she replied, not returning the laugh.

Link's laughter quickly faded. He raised his fists in front of him and bent his knees. As the beacon of the lighthouse passed over the alleyway again, Zelda could see the eyes of a hunter staring at her in the rain. A cold chill washed over her. This man could not be taken lightly.

"Then you should understand the type of situation I'm in," Link said. "I appreciate your spirit and spunk, so I'd prefer not to hurt you. However, if you choose to make things difficult, then I'm not afraid to show you what I'm capable of." He took a step towards her. "So which will it be?"


End file.
